What to Do in Kanazawa: Best Things to See, Eat and Visit

Kanazawa was such a good surprise. It’s an awesome human-size city with a lot to do, especially if you have two full days packed with sightseeing, but without the overwhelming crowds and massive train stations of Tokyo.

The city has beautiful historic districts, amazing pottery shops, great museums, cute cafés, gardens, izakayas, and lots of places to buy nice souvenirs. There is no subway, only buses, which were a bit hard to navigate in Japanese, but the city center is very walkable and each touristic district is usually at walking distance. The nationwide IC card also does not work in the local buses, you can tap your credit card instead.

How to Get to Kanazawa

From Tokyo, you can get to Kanazawa in about 2h30 with the Kagayaki Shinkansen, I recommend booking it on Omio in advance as it can get busy (seat reservation is mandatory on this route).

You can also get there from Kyoto, which makes it a nice stop if you’re travelling around Japan and want to add a city that feels different from Tokyo and Kyoto. Train from Kyoto to Kanazawa is also bookable in Omio.

Here is everything I did in Kanazawa, plus a few things I didn’t have time to try but would have loved to.

Best Things to Do in Kanazawa

Explore the Samurai District

The Samurai District is a well-preserved historic district where you can visit samurai houses.

What makes it really interesting is that it didn’t burn down, so it’s one of the rare original districts in Japan. It’s also very nice to walk around, with traditional streets and a much calmer atmosphere than bigger tourist areas.

I also stopped at Moron Cafe in the Samurai District, which is a nice busy café with avocado toast.

Walk around the Geisha District Higashi Chaya and visit Shima Geisha House

The Geisha District is another beautiful area to explore in Kanazawa. It’s perfect for walking around, taking your time, and stopping for something sweet.

I also visited Shima Geisha House, which is a nice way to learn more about the atmosphere and history of the district.

Nearby, you can stop at Cafe Tamon for pancakes.

Spend time at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

The contemporary art museum in Kanazawa is really worth visiting. I recommend paying for both the permanent and temporary exhibition, because they are worth it.

The temporary exhibition we saw was on public space, and it was super interesting to learn more about Japanese contemporary artists.

It’s also a good area for a quick meal, and Nanahoshi Curry is a good stop near the museum and the garden.

Visit Kenrokuen Garden

Kenrokuen Garden is a must do in Kanazawa. It’s one of those places that is really worth adding to your itinerary, even if you only have a short time in the city.

The garden is beautiful to walk around, and there are also cute little tea houses where you can stop for a rest. It’s a very nice break between museums, shopping and historic districts.

Discover Kutani pottery at Kutani Kosen Kiln

If you want to see and buy Kutani potteries directly from a workshop, I highly recommend Kutani Kosen Kiln.

We were even lucky to get a small tour of the workshop by the adorable lady working at the shop, which made the visit even more special. It’s a great place if you love ceramics, handmade objects, or want to bring back something really beautiful from Kanazawa.

Visit the Ohi MuseuM

If you’re into tea bowls and pottery, you should definitely check out the Ohi Museum.

It’s about a family with 11 generations of pottery and painter artists. It’s a very specific museum, so probably even better if you already like ceramics, tea bowls or Japanese craft, but I found it really interesting.

Go to Atelier Poterie & Gallery Creava

Atelier Poterie & Gallery Creava is a nice stop to discover local artists. Kanazawa has a lot of beautiful craft and pottery places, so this fits perfectly into a slow sightseeing day if you like galleries and handmade objects.

Relax at Manten No Yu super onsen

I went to Manten No Yu, a super onsen, and it was very good.

There is a big sauna, and you can even get a 40-minute massage for around $20. After a full day walking around Kanazawa, this was such a good idea.

SEe the castle illuminations at night

At night, I recommend walking in the Castle Park to see the castle illuminations. It’s a nice way to end the day and see another side of the city (only in summer time, according to Kanazawa city website).

Go shopping near Kanazawa Station

The mall near Kanazawa Central Station is really good, especially in case of rain.

There are nice shops, including Uniqlo, Muji, Loft, a stickers shop, and more. It’s also very convenient if you have some time before your train or want to buy practical things and souvenirs.

Kanazawa also has looots of shops with beautiful poteries and souvenirs to buy, so leave a bit of space in your suitcase.

There were a few places I didn’t have time to visit, but would have liked to add to my Kanazawa itinerary:

I didn’t manage to go, but the DT Suzuki Museum was on my list.
I would have loved to visit a sake brewery while in Kanazawa.

Where to Eat and Drink in Kanazawa

CAFES

Cafe Cowrite is a super yummy brunch spot. A really good option if you want something easy, comforting and cute before starting your sightseeing day.

Espresso Bar Kesaran Pasaran — ケサランパサラン — is on a cute street that felt a bit more alternative, with some boutiques around. The coffee was delicious, and the orange cheesecake was also really good.

Cheesecake at Espresso Bar Kesaran Pasaran

Cafe Tamon is in the Geisha District and is a good stop for pancakes. Perfect if you’re exploring the area and want a sweet break.

Moron Cafe is in the Samurai District. It’s a nice busy café with avocado toast, and a good place to rest while visiting the area.

RESTAURANTS & IZAKAYAS

Gen-Zae-Mon Izakaya had an awesome local vibe. It’s located in Kiguramachi street with more than 80 izakayas, so it’s a really fun area to explore for dinner and drinks.

Ippudo Ramen is comfort food, and quite cheap. Sometimes while travelling, you just need a reliable bowl of ramen, and this was exactly that.

Nanahoshi Curry is a good stop for a quick meal near the museum and Kenrokuen Garden. Very convenient if you’re planning to visit both in the same day.

If you want to try the local specialty, called Oden, you can go to some local Izakaya, likeWarikan. Oden is a kind of soup with a mix of veggies, meat and fish. It’s kind of the Japanese pot-au-feu.

This is “oden”, Kanazawa local culinary specialty

Kanazawa is very famous for seafood due to the port. I got this recommendation from Japanese people but didn’t have time to try it myself: Seafood donburi:Uogashi Shokudo Central Market 魚がし食堂中央市場店

Would have loved to try it!

BARS

Bar Rooftop Asile was awesome for sunset.

You can sit outside at the rooftop bar and there is the perfect view over the river at sunset. They sometimes have live music too, which makes it even better.

My Overall Feeling About Kanazawa

Kanazawa is an awesome city for two full days.

There is a lot to do, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming. You can visit gardens, museums, historic districts, pottery workshops, cafés, izakayas and onsen without feeling like you’re constantly rushing through massive stations or huge crowds.

The buses were a bit hard to navigate in Japanese, but the center is very walkable, and most touristic districts are within walking distance from each other.

I also highly recommend checking the official tourist office website of Kanazawa city to find out about seasonal events and what to do in each district. It’s very qualitative and useful when planning your trip.

Overall, Kanazawa was one of those places where I felt like I could have stayed a bit longer, especially for the pottery, the food, the museums and the calm city vibe.

WHAT TO DO IN KANAZAWA: MY TRAVEL GUIDE FOR TWO DAYS IN THE CITY

How to Get to Kanazawa